Brakes and rubber

[llywelyn111]

Hi

I have a 2004 2.7 santa fe that doesn't really get used that much, once a week really. Got in her today and the belts were slightly noisy and after about 2 miles I could smell rubber burning. Then the burning smell went, so I presume the belts need tightening or just new ones?

Another problem that I had was the car was a bit slower at picking up speed. Then at 60mph I could hear a rumbling noise, I then needed to brake and the rumbling noise got worse. Got to the shop and the front right brakes had a bit of smoke coming out of it. any ideas?

[Sam_68]

llywelyn111 said:

...the belts were slightly noisy and after about 2 miles I could smell rubber burning. Then the burning smell went, so I presume the belts need tightening or just new ones?

If it was the belts (what sort of noise? from a cold start in this weather, I'd expect slack belts to squeal), personally I'd replace them. My experience is that if they've stretched sufficiently to start sliping, if you re-tighten them there's a fair chance they'll just break a couple of weeks later leaving you stranded.

llywelyn111 said:

...Got to the shop and the front right brakes had a bit of smoke coming out of it. any ideas?

Either the brakes have seized through lack of use or (unlikely, but not knowing what a 2.7 Santa Fe is, let alone whether it is unusual in having its handbrake on the front wheels) the handbrake cable has frozen in the inclement weather.

Jack the car to check whether the wheels are rotating freely, then go for short drive and touch the brake discs through the wheel when you stop (carefully - they may be VERY hot!) to ensure that both brake discs are equally hot - if yur front right is hotter, it's binding.

[llywelyn111]

there isn't a loud squeal but the light squeal doesn't go.

Sorry Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7 4x4

Edited by llywelyn111 on Sunday 12th February 19:14

[Sam_68]

Light squal does sound like a stretched belt. My previous advice applies: replace rather than retension the belts - a stretched belt is just waitiing to snap if you retension it.

I'm afraid I'm none the wiser with regard to the brakes: I don't really do Hyundais.

It's quite unlikely the handbrake will be on the front (there are exceptions, but most cars they're on the rear), so a binding/seized caliper is the most likely cause.... though another possibility that didn't occur to me earlier is a collapsed hose. Whatever... get a garage to check it out if you're not sure.